Anyone really know the history of MetaFilter?

January 14, 2004 1:01 PM

Anyone really know the history of MetaFilter? (more, as you expected, inside)
posted by answergrape to MetaFilter-Related at 1:01 PM (18 comments total)

Did MeFi really start on July 14, 1999 (the first link in the archives, I believe). If so, why does Matt's profile say "member since January 27, 2000"?

When did MetaTalk start? Is there an archive of MetaTalk other then the category archive? I'm especially interested in MetaTalk because I spend more time reading it then I do the Blue.
posted by answergrape at 1:06 PM on January 14, 2004

I guess we will wait for Matt to give us the details, but I joined on February 5, 2000, and I can tell you that the place was already kind of busy. So the 1999 date is probably right and Matt's profile has the wrong date.

It's funny that his date is only a week before mine. :)
posted by litlnemo at 1:12 PM on January 14, 2004

I've told the story many times before.

I started thinking about doing a weblog in November-December of '98, toyed with the then very-beta PHP language and in January started working with ColdFusion. The site was built between March and May, and went live in June, though I deleted a bunch of the old posts (which is why there's no post #1).

As for the other questions, I only started keeping track of when people signed up on January 27, 2000, the earlier ones I changed to "sometime in 1999" for others and "since day one" for me.

MetaTalk started when thread #1 of it started, in March of 2000. Here is the first monthly archive, just ratchet up the URL as necessary to see more.

I'm especially interested in MetaTalk because I spend more time reading it then I do the Blue.

You should get out more.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 1:16 PM on January 14, 2004 [1 favorite]

Also, I moved this to metatalk where it belongs.

From the post a question page:

"Make sure it's not MetaFilter, MetaTalk, or Ask MetaFilter related, as those posts would best be posted in MetaTalk than here."
posted by mathowie (staff) at 1:22 PM on January 14, 2004

Thanks for the history lesson, Matt. How great that MetaTalk came about early.

I'm teaching two online sessions of Technical Writing next semester, so I've been doing a lot of thinking about community building and what makes MeFi work when so many others don't. I'm thinking that MetaTalk has a lot to do with it. Course, I could be over-thinking. Occupational hazard.

Yeah, I should get out more.
posted by answergrape at 1:32 PM on January 14, 2004

(I was kidding about the get out more line)

Here's what I wrote about the community building process in summer of 2001. I also wrote about it a few months earlier in interview that was featured in a book on designing communites.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 1:48 PM on January 14, 2004

Answergrape, if it's any consolation, I'm right there with you. I am now absolutely obsessed with AskMe and how different the communication style is from MeFi, but I think that AskMe's tone wouldn't have happened if it was set up too early in MeFi's life cycle, or without MetaTalk as a precedent and filter.
posted by pomegranate at 2:26 PM on January 14, 2004

Just my odd opinion, but the date dynamic doesn't interest me at all. Having been around the Mefi block a couple of times, the history I'm interested in is the community dynamic, the growth and changes after significant events (Kaycee Nichol, 9/11, the advent of Miguel). I truly enjoy going back through poster's histories and watching their grudges, interactions (I'm leaving!, that one gets banned, the Steve and Foldy show ...) and changes. Its unfortunate that many do that simply to pounce on shades of hypocrisy, but really, the history of MetaFilter and its kids is the history of us as users.

I also realize that this may seem odd coming from me, as I remain a believer that Mefi is not a discussion site, but taking a bigger-picture look at the passage of our interactions kind of removes the instantaneous "I'm Pissed" ego-driven slice-in-time element of the site, and gives a better understanding of community history
posted by Wulfgar! at 3:34 PM on January 14, 2004

and gives a better understanding of community history

Oh no! I don't have my period!
posted by Wulfgar! at 3:35 PM on January 14, 2004

Sadly, the true history of MetaFilter has been lost with the passing of generations. All we have left is a few fragments of a creation mythology; some have speculated that it has a factual basis.
posted by Galvatron at 3:45 PM on January 14, 2004

I'm surprised that the Metafilter page is still blank over at wikipedia.
posted by Ljubljana at 4:05 PM on January 14, 2004

Wulfgar!, does that mean you' pregnant?

I too am interested in the community dynamic, and the differences in communication styles between MeFi and MeTa.

I don't actually mind the occasional random hissy fits because I think they're vital to how the community functions. It allows others to pipe up and reiterate their community investment. That, of course, lessens the need for Matt to call out the occasional weenie-head.
posted by answergrape at 5:10 PM on January 14, 2004

MetaFilter: You should get out more
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 7:00 PM on January 14, 2004

What is this "out" you speak of?
posted by dg at 11:46 PM on January 14, 2004

What is this "out" you speak of?

Ask amberglow ;)
posted by The God Complex at 11:52 PM on January 14, 2004

It's a Marlo Thomas thing ; >
posted by amberglow at 5:20 AM on January 15, 2004

Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane, amberglow :) I hadn't even thought about Free to Be You and Me in 20 years :)
posted by terrapin at 10:04 AM on January 15, 2004

I know! It was such a big deal back then too--they should do a new version for kids today.
posted by amberglow at 11:31 AM on January 15, 2004